


The Things Mad Scientists Do

by estelraca



Category: Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters
Genre: M/M, Mad Science, Resurrection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-15
Updated: 2016-12-15
Packaged: 2018-09-08 19:31:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8857975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/estelraca/pseuds/estelraca
Summary: Since he no longer has to work as a soldier, Ryuuji dives head-first into the sciences--especially the sciences that led to the creation of himself and Messiah in the first place.  Is it still mad science if you're perfectly aware of how questionable bringing someone back from the dead is?





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [gingayellow](https://archiveofourown.org/users/gingayellow/gifts).



> I hope that you enjoy this, Gingayellow, and that you have a wonderful holiday season!

_The Things Mad Scientists Do_

It's probably a stupid idea.

It's something that every counselor in the world would probably tell him to stop. It's hard to mourn and move on when you're desperately trying to revive the person you're mourning, after all.

It's something that's maybe a little ethically questionable—not because giving life is questionable, but because all the available methods have certain... flaws.

He can't make something too complex. He doesn't want to accidentally create a new life-form. Not just because that would be  _stupid_ after all the time and effort they just spent defeating Messiah, Enter, and Escape, but because creating a new life-form would render the entire rest of the project—the  _heart_ of the project—pointless.

You can't very well try to implant someone's consciousness into a space that's already occupied, after all.

He could still try to go with an android body. It's something that Jin would be able to adapt to, he thinks, especially after so long being a projection—thought given a semblance of form, but nothing  _real_ . He considers it. With an android body Ryuuji could get the physical characteristics exactly right, after all. And they do have the Buddyroids to use as inspiration for the robotics.

After two months of tinkering with different possibilities for androids, Ryuuji decides that he'd rather give Jin a human body again. Part of it is scientific frustration—trying to craft something that will be up to the standards Jin would approve of turns out to be incredibly tedious and difficult. Ryuuji is able to make some forward progress, which he writes up in papers and publishes for other scientists to use, but given that the most important part of the process is the recovery of the personality—the  _memories—_ that make Jin, well,  _Jin_ , he decides that's where he'll dedicate the majority of his time.

So he fills out the paperwork to get authorization to work on cadavers.

He's particular about the ones that he selects. He can't afford not to be. The ones who are best for him are also the ones that are best for organ donation, though, and it's a careful tug-of-war, a back-and-forth between what is best for the most people. It means for the first three years that he's working on his project, the majority of his effort goes into the conversion of the data they have for Jin into something usable—data saved by Kuroki without Jin's express permission.

What is Jin going to think if Ryuuji is successful? Will he be grateful? Ryuuji likes to imagine that he will be.

It's far too easy to imagine him being angry, frustrated, scared, horrified, and sometimes Ryuuji considers stopping his work. Not that he isn't coming up with breakthroughs that will help others thanks to his work on his own pet project—the integration of computer data with human neurons alone will assist in the creation of better, more responsive prosthetics, and the work on AI systems, on memory storage and retrieval... there's a lot here to be proud of.

He's just not sure the person he's doing it for is going to be proud.

Everyone knows what he's working on, though. Kuroki approved the project, helping Ryuuji receive the necessary clearances to access the data and resources he'll need. Yoko asks him if there's been any progress every time she sees him, looking hopeful each time. Hiromu is less direct in his questioning, but it's clear that he, too, hopes for Ryuuji to be successful.

And Beet J Stag... if nothing else, Jin's companion deserves to know they  _tried_ . Even if it doesn't succeed, even if J ends up wearing a black Jenga piece around his neck for the rest of eternity, Ryuuji will feel better if he's able to say he  _tried._

So he works on transferring the copied data that they have into a self-supporting, self-referential, record-keeping artificial intelligence matrix—data that hopefully contains something of Jin's essence, the memories and quirks and hopes and fears and dreams of a brilliant man.

He works on improving the interface between the artificial mind he's crafted and standard neurons.

He finds a cadaver that will work—a thirty-eight year old man who was declared brain dead, an aneurysm having wiped out all that he was, leaving behind an empty shell.

He keeps the cadaver on life support after receiving clearance from the family to use him in a scientific project that may, he promises, save thousands of life in the future.

He finds a surgeon to help him with the delicate task of removing the non-functional human brain and filling the skull with the artificial mind that holds—hopefully—a sleeping version of Jin.

He studies the face of the man he found. The resemblance to Jin's own body isn't exact, but there are enough similarities to make it seem like they could have been in the same family. The nose, in particular, is pretty much perfect.

_Please let this work_ , Ryuuji thinks as the surgeon finishes her work, gesturing for him to finish his.

_If this works, please don't let him hate me._ The second prayer is less important than the first, but it is definitely there as Ryuuji transmits the code that will wake the sleeper from his dreams.

At first nothing happens, and Ryuuji studies the codes flashing across his laptop, the vital signs being displayed around the body. Did he do something wrong? Were his initial test results flawed? Did he forget—

The body on the table twitches, right hand rising and then crashing back against the table.

The respirator begins making a terrible, distressed whine.

Something else is making a terrible noise, and after a few seconds of frantic searching Ryuuji realizes what it is with a sinking heart.

_Something_ that he's done has worked, and the man who might now be Masato Jin is screaming his head off around the machines keeping him alive, his eyes seeming to pierce through Ryuuji with harsh accusation.

* * *

Jin stares down at his hands.

Except they aren't  _his_ hands. Not that he's had hands in a very long time. What he's had have been projections given shape by his Buddyroid and sentience by his own thoughts, but his body was dead for fifteen years before his mind caught up to the fact.

Fifteen years plus three now, he supposes. Eighteen years that he's been dead, except suddenly he's  _not_ .

Instead he's wearing someone else's body.

Ryuuji is sitting beside his bed, staring at him with wide, hopeful, hurt eyes. Dark circles color the skin beneath the too-intelligent stare. Ryuuji has been pouring his heart and soul into this, clearly, and probably pulled an all-nighter or two as the moment of truth drew closer.

A moment of truth that has now led to them being  _here_ .

“This...” Jin allows his hands to flop back down on the bed. “This is some real Frankenstein stuff. You know that, right?”

Ryuuji relaxes a little bit, a smile playing across his face. “Believe me, I know. I can pull up pictures of me in a Frankenstein-the-scientist costume from last Halloween, if you want. We had Gorisaki go as the monster.”

“If you know...” Jin rubs a hand over his face, surprised at how similar it feels to... well, to  _his_ face. Whoever this unlucky sap was, the gods of genetics also saw fit to gift him with an impressive olfactory system. “ _And_ you are aware of how society generally  _views_ Frankenstein and the monster... how exactly have we come to be here?”

“The moral of Frankenstein isn't that science is awful or that bringing something to life is terrible.” There's a quiet intensity to Ryuuji's voice, but his eyes have shifted down to stare at his hands. “The moral of Frankenstein is not to abandon what you create. To have empathy and compassion, because without them...  _that's_ when science runs amok. There's a reason Frankenstein the man kills all his dogs on his Arctic expedition while Frankenstein the monster kills none of his.”

“Ryuuji...” Jin reaches up to feel the bandages wrapped around his head—the corpse's head? “I'm sure you're right about Frankenstein—I never actually read it, and it sounds like you did—but this is still...”

“I did everything I could to try to make it comfortable for the family.” Ryuuji's eyes shift from his hands back to Jin's face. “I told them that their son's donation would go to advancing research that would one day save thousands of lives. And I was right.”

“If you could put  _me_ in here—”

“ _You_ had already been shifted into a largely-data form long before you died. I had copies of that data. I was able to build on that and our earlier research to create an artificial brain that is apparently housing a human consciousness just fine.” Ryuuji lets out a long, tense breath. “I didn't have any data on the consciousness of the man whose body I used. He was dead as soon as the aneurysm happened—beyond any technology we have. But  _you_ ... you weren't. And if this works, which it looks to be... we can try to figure out how to copy other minds. How to save other people.”

Jin rests his head back against his pillow, both elated and terrified by the frontiers that Ryuuji is talking about opening up. “You're talking about functional immortality.”

Ryuuji shrugs. “If we can figure out how to make android bodies... quite possibly. There's still some risks—we're being  _incredibly_ cautious with the AI and artificial neuron development, so we don't have a repeat of previous problems—but it's a possibility.”

Jin sits up. “Who's going to own the technology once it's created?”

A smile breaks across Ryuuji's face. “If you're asking questions like  _that_ , you're definitely feeling all right.”

“I'm feeling...” Jin presses a hand against his chest. He can feel a heart beating there, steady and sure—hear a heart monitor  _blipping_ in time to the pounding that he feels. “Still incredibly confused and a little uncertain about all this, but... well, it's an important question.”

“Technically the government owns everything I've made, with the exception of a few patents I've been able to file and information in papers I've been able to publish. But if we ever get to the point where I feel something needs to be made public knowledge...” Ryuuji shrugs again. “We've both seen what happens when mistakes are made. I'd hate to see what would happen with technology in the wrong hands. So we'll make sure it goes where it needs to be.”

Jin once more raises a hand to scrub at his face. A  _hand_ — _his_ hand, and this is going to take a lot of getting used to. “I'm glad you've been thinking about these things, at least. That this wasn't just some... crazy grief-stricken idea.”

“We grieved. All of us—me, Yoko, Hiromu. Kuroki.” Closing his eyes, Ryuuji sighs. “But this isn't the kind of undertaking grief can get you through, I don't think. This is the kind of thing that takes planning, and care, and a hell of a lot of determination. And I'm... really, really glad that it worked out.”

“Well.” Jin settles back down on his pillow again. “I guess, if I'm back... well, let's see where this ends up taking us.”

* * *

First it takes them back to their friends.

Ryuuji has kept in touch with the others. How could he not? He has always been the older brother figure to Yoko and Hiromu, at least insofar as they actually _need_ an older sibling. And if they are all getting too old to need such a thing, well, there's a surprising amount of overlap between brotherhood and friendship, sibling bonds and those of veterans.

He still sees more of them in the week after Jin is resurrected than he think he has in the year that came before.

Yoko is the more hesitant one, though she is also the first to appear at the research lab cum temporary hospital. She hesitates outside Jin's room when Ryuuji takes her to visit, looking back at Ryuuji with wide eyes. “It's really... you're sure it's Jin?”

Ryuuji shrugs. “That... depends on what you define as Jin. But the man in there has Jin's memories, save for the last mission we ran together. He's watched the videos of the mission, though, so he knows what happened. And he speaks and moves and _acts_ like Jin, though a Jin who's been through... a lot. Does he have Jin's soul... well, what _is_ a soul?”

Yoko looks up at the ceiling and gives an exasperated sigh. “You were supposed to just tell me _of course it's Jin, Yoko, go see him_.”

“Ah. Right.” Ryuuji smiles and reaches out to clap Yoko on the shoulder. “That's definitely Jin. You should go talk to him. I think you'll enjoy it.”

Reaching up to place her hand over his, Yoko gives it a tight squeeze. “Thanks. I'll do just that.”

Apparently whatever Jin does is able to convince Yoko that it's really him, because by the end of five minutes she's laughing, and by the time she heads out to make her classes a half hour later it seems like they've fallen easily into their old patterns.

Hiromu doesn't hesitate when he goes to see Jin. He marches into the facility with the same stolid, firm determination that saw them through their battles, and the conversation he has with Jin seems civil and sweet.

So it surprises Ryuuji immensely when Hiromu's first words upon emerging from Jin's room are, “Do we have a way to shut him down if we need to?”

“What?” Ryuuji just stares at his friend, wondering if perhaps he's having some kind of flashback and mishearing words. Or overheating? He runs a hand over his neck, but he hasn't done anything too strenuous and the temperature is carefully controlled in his lab.

“If something goes wrong with Jin.” Hiromu stares at Ryuuji, his eyes unblinking. “If there's a problem with what you created. If he's infected with a virus or becomes unstable. Do you have a way to shut him down?”

“We just brought him back from the _dead_ , and you want to—” Ryuuji's voice comes out louder than he intended. He had expected everyone to be _happy_ about his success, not wondering if he built in a fail-safe.

“I want to make sure the world's kept safe.” Hiromu nods towards Jin's room. “And he does, too. He's the one who asked me if I knew whether you built a killswitch into him.”

“He—but—I—” Ryuuji comes to a sudden and abrupt stop. Jin wants to know how easy it is to _kill_ him? After the first unfortunate few hours he has seemed to be adjusting so _well_. Why would he...

“It's not because he's not glad to be alive. He is—though still a little... uncertain on the ethics of the methods. But he also sacrificed his life once to save the world.” Hiromu draws in a deep breath. “If it becomes necessary to protect everyone, he wants to make sure there are... precautions in place.”

Ryuuji says nothing.

“I know how he feels.” Hiromu looks down at his hands, twisting his motorcycle helmet around and around in a circle. “I didn't end up actually having to do it, but I was ready to die if that's what was needed to stop Enter.”

Scrubbing a hand over his face, Ryuuji sighs. “I know. And... yes. There are ways to shut down what I created. Ways that would kill him. Again.”

“Ways that you'll use if you have to?” Hiromu reaches out to put a hand on Ryuuji's shoulder.

“Ways I'll use if I have to.” The words are bitter on his tongue. They have killed Jin once—with his blessing, with his _help_ , but the thought of doing it again sends acid crawling through his stomach. “But I won't have to.”

Hiromu actually smiles as he claps Ryuuji on the shoulder. “No. I don't think you will.”

It provides a strange sort of comfort to Ryuuji to hear Hiromu say that—practical, reasonable Hiromu—but Ryuuji still doesn't sleep well that night.

The visit from Kuroki goes surprisingly well. After Hiromu's visit, Ryuuji had been prepared for questions, concerns, a repetition of all the safeguards that he has woven into the creation of Jin's new mind and body.

Instead he gets to hear Jin laughing for long stretches of time, a deep belly laugh like he hasn't heard before. It's a nice sound, pleasant and very _Jin—_ a few notes higher than it would have been in his original body, but still recognizable by cadence and texture.

When Kuroki exits Jin's room, he just claps Ryuuji on the shoulder and says, “Good job.”

Ryuuji returns the older man's smile, glad to hear Jin's oldest friend give his blessing.

If Kuroki thinks this is Jin, then it really does mean that Ryuuji succeeded.

* * *

The first he sees J is the first time Jin thinks that maybe Ryuuji did the right thing bringing him back.

Not that he _minds_ being back—he's starting to get used to this body, and to the abilities granted him by his artificial neural network. There's something very satisfying about being able to calculate mathematical problems to the hundredth decimal number. (It had frightened him the first time he realized he could do that, could be a walking calculator, but Ryuuji had insisted it was a feature rather than a flaw. And despite Jin countering that really, most mathematical calculations only need to go to three or four decimal places before running out of significant digits, Jin's come to quite enjoy it.)

J is wearing the little black wooden block that Jin had used to represent himself on a thong around his neck. He pauses in the doorway to Jin's room, studying Jin.

“Hey there, buddy.” Jin smiles at his companion, hoping that J will recognize the gesture.

Apparently J does, because he turns around, his hand rising to touch the black block around his neck.

Well, shoot. Maybe Kurorin was wrong, and there's something very _off_ about Jin now.

“Masato Jin.” J turns back around, and though he can't cry, Jin can hear the tears in his voice.

“Yeah.” Jin tries smiling again, though he suspects it's a much weaker expression. “That's me.”

J takes a step forward. “So Ryuuji tells me.”

“So he tells me, too. If he's wrong, blame him, not me.” Jin points towards the door.

“Do you remember...” J takes another step forward. “Creating me? Your time in subspace?”

Jin lets out a long sigh. “I remember everything but the day I died.”

“And you aren't...” Another step forward. “Infected?”

“If I am, it's news to me, and I'll be the first one to shoot myself in my pretty new head.” Jin sighs again. “If you're going to tell me this is foolish, I've had the same conversation with multiple people now. They assure me that it's fine, and I don't want to waste a good body and a few years of hard work because I'm being paranoid. It would be very anti-science of me.”

“It would be.” J is standing beside the bed now, his voice quieter than usual.

“Oh, come on, J.” Jin reaches out to smack his Buddyroid on the chest. He smacks a bit harder than he intended to, pain flaring up and down his arm. He stares at his fingers in fascination, moving them individually, feeling how it changes and dulls and spikes the pain depending on which muscles are contracting or relaxing. Then he shakes his hand out, returning his focus to where it needs to be. “Why're you being so glum and grim? Stand in front of me. Block Ryuuji and all the other docs from seeing me. Hey, that'll actually be a good use of your little catchphrase!”

The idea of using J to escape from the poking and prodding that have made up his reclaimed life is _very_ appealing, and Jin starts to clamber out of bed. Second thoughts are for those who _haven't_ already died once.

“Jin.” J's hands land on each of his shoulders, keeping him in place. “I have learned a great deal since I last saw you. I have been a bug in the forest, quiet and still. I have been a warrior again, assisting those who would follow in my large footsteps.”

“Very large, very impressive footsteps. They should be, since I helped create them.” Jin smiles, but he can feel it crumpling around the edges. He isn't used to emotion like this from J.

“I have become more than I was.” J's hands move from Jin's shoulders, lift the little black piece of wood on its string, and settle it around Jin's. It hangs too low, practically down to his belly-button, but Jin finds himself staring at it in fascination anyway. “But I have never forgotten the man who made me, and saved me. The man who sacrificed himself for the world. And I am very, very glad that he's home.”

“J...” Jin's eyes are watering. There must be something wrong with this body—it seems to want to cry far too often.

“Now.” J adopts a ready pose, his hands at his side. “I will tell you the epic of Beet J Stag and his adventures over the last few years, so that you may be warmed by the glow of his success.”

“You know what, buddy?” Jin leans back on the bed, his fingers still locked around the black wood. “You do just that.”

Jin falls asleep while J is still reciting, his new body still recovering from all that it has done, and he has strange dreams of J fighting alongside a rabbit and a fawn.

Given some of the other dreams he's had, he decides he'll happily take these.

* * *

Two weeks after his successful revival, Jin is declared fit to be released from the hospital.

Unfortunately he's _not_ declared fit to be released from observation.

“But it's _Jin_.” Ryuuji runs his hands back through his hair, trying to calm his breathing. “Everything's been going fine. You and J and Yoko and Hiromu—everyone agrees that it's worked just the way I said it would! Keeping him under observation—”

“Is the best way to make people feel safe.” Kuroki has his hands crossed in front of his chest. “Believe me, I feel bad about it, too. But there's nothing that's going to be helped by fighting against this. People are a little nervous—not just about the AI part, but about the resurrecting someone from the dead part. It feels a little... mad sciency to some of those making the decision.”

Ryuuji's hands clench into fists, and he reminds himself again to stay calm. He won't help anyone by working himself up into a state where he could overheat. “Would they feel better if I claimed it was magic instead of thousands of hours of incredibly difficult and detailed work that they can look through at their leisure?”

“Come on, now.” Kuroki chuckles. “We both know most of those with their hands on the decision-making buttons can't understand a quarter of what you do. But I'd recommend against trying to start a religion with this—especially because knowing Jin, he'd probably go along with you, and that would just get messy.”

“Oh, I don't know. Jin can be Lazarus, I can be Jesus... J can be God.” Ryuuji sighs, forcing his hands to relax. “What kind of surveillance are they requiring? Do we have to keep him _here_ , because I think he's going to complain about that. A lot.”

“I was thinking we could have him stay with one of us. If you'd be willing—the two of you are both scientists, and you know the technology you used best...” Kuroki shrugs. “Otherwise I can bring him home with me. We can pretend we're in college again.”

“That sounds like a terrible idea on multiple levels.” A smile plays across Ryuuji's lips as he considers the possibility of bringing Jin home with him. “I... suppose it wouldn't be too bad, just having Jin stay with me. My apartment's not that big, but if he doesn't mind one of us sleeping in the living room...”

Kuroki claps him on the shoulder. “There we go. Problem solved. Now no one has to be upset on either end, and we can make sure Jin gets the care he needs until everyone comes to a comfortable decision about what he's going to do from here.”

“At this point, he might decide to go live in the forest with J just to avoid everyone wanting to know how he feels and how he's processing everything.” Ryuuji eyes Kuroki. “Are you going to break the news to him?”

Kuroki smiles, standing up and clapping Ryuuji on the shoulder. “I think I'll save that pleasantry for you.”

“But—”

Kuroki doesn't wait for him to protest, pulling out his cell phone and dialing their superiors while heading for the door.

Ryuuji sighs and heads towards Jin's room. This is probably something that's better done sooner rather than later.

* * *

Ryuuji's apartment is actually pretty nice.

Not that Jin should be surprised by this, he supposes. Ryuuji has always been a fairly upright kid, and his little viral flaw makes him even more aware of appearances and emotional states.

“Lots of books.” Jin runs his fingers over the spines, trailing from shelf to shelf to shelf. “ _Lots_ of books.”

“I like to read.” Ryuuji shrugs. “It's one of the things that helps me feel calm and secure. And it was my way of keeping a foot in the sciences when I had a chance.”

“Mm-hm.” Jin taps against the spine of the book his finger is currently on. “You definitely are keeping up with science by reading Hanmura, Yamada, and Asimov.”

“You're looking at the wrong shelf for that.” Ryuuji comes over to the shelf next to Jin's, pointing out collected periodicals as well as some thicker science texts. “Those are just ones I like. Specifically some of the classics I like.”

“Fair enough.” Jin continues to peruse the shelves. “I suppose this means I won't be bored while I'm being held prisoner.”

“Jin—”

“No, it's fine. I get it.” Jin turns to Ryuuji, smiling. At least they're letting him wear proper clothes now rather than a hospital gown. It makes him feel... a little bit more real. “And I appreciate you letting me stay here. House arrest is better than science-arrest.”

“I don't know.” Ryuuji shoves his hands into his pockets. “If I remember right, you used to put in some long hours.”

“I did.” Jin laces his fingers together, putting his hands behind his head. “Maybe I'll get back to that again someday.”

“I think you will. Assuming you want to.” Ryuuji looks down at his hands, and Jin could swear the guy is _blushing_. “I'd... like getting a chance to work with you.”

“Well...” Jin's smile becomes a little more real. “Let's see what the next few weeks bring, shall we?”

* * *

Jin breaks his hand four days after moving in with Ryuuji.

Ryuuji hears the shout from the kitchen. It doesn't take him more than ten seconds to get there, but by the time he does the damage is already done.

Jin is cursing quietly, his left wrist held tight by his right hand. His index finger is bent backwards at an unnatural angle, already starting to swell.

“Jin, what—” Ryuuji looks around to see what could have happened, but nothing appears to have fallen.

“Got it stuck in the stove handle. Didn't burn myself—I feel heat still just fine, in case anyone wants to know!—but when I pulled to get myself free...” Jin mutters out another few curses, though these sound tired. “I'm sorry, Ryuuji.”

“Don't be sorry.” Ryuuji kneels down by Jin's side, studying the injury. “We need to get this splinted, though. Come on. We're going back to work.”

“Oh joy of joys.” Jin doesn't protest when Ryuuji slides a hand under his elbow and helps him to his feet. “My favorite place in the world.”

“It was, once.” Ryuuji grabs his car keys and coat, slinging Jin's coat over his shoulders.

“It was. It likely will be again.” Jin's face is pale, his eyes glassy. “Assuming they don't decide to lock me up for being a defective Frankenstein.”

“We already decided you're not Frankenstein.” Ryuuji keeps a hand on Jin's uninjured arm as they make their way down the stairs. “I am. And they're not going to lock you up because of it, I swear.” A sinking feeling starts in Ryuuji's stomach. “Though if you've been hiding things from me because you're afraid of that...”

Jin shrugs, hissing in a breath as his injured arm moves. “I haven't been lying to you. Just maybe not... saying entirely the truth about some things.”

They get into the car in silence, and Ryuuji can feel his hands flex hard around the steering wheel, sweat beading on his neck. “What _kind_ of things?”

“Just that... it's hard to adjust to being back.” Jin stares out the window. “I feel everything properly, just like you've been asking. But I don't always... _anticipate_ like I should. Like I think I would have, once, in my own body.” Jin holds up his broken hand. “Hence managing to dislocate my finger attempting to use a stove.”

Ryuuji is silent for almost a minute, processing what Jin has said—trying to correlate it with any of the problems that neurologists or programmers worried they might have with Jin.

After about half a minute Jin glances over at him. After the full minute Jin gives a little wave with his good hand. “Do I need to be worried and thinking about jumping out of the car?”

“That would be a _terrible_ idea.” Ryuuji shifts his gaze to Jin in horror, almost missing their turn.

Jin shrugs. “Deep, considering silence is sometimes very disconcerting.”

“I'm sorry. I was just trying to think how to help you.” Ryuuji keeps his eyes firmly on the road now. “You said that you still _feel_ everything, right? Hot, cold, dry, wet—”

Jin holds up his hand. “Painful. Yeah, I definitely feel all of it. Just... missing some of the connections that should go _hey, that will hurt_ and make me stop doing a thing before hey, it hurts.”

“Huh.” Ryuuji gives a little shrug and what he hopes is a comforting smile. “I bet with practice that'll get better. I mean... you're still getting used to your body.”

“And I imagine the body's not going to like this adventure.” Jin leans back in his seat. “I hope you've right, Frankenstein.”

“I'm sure I'm right, Monster.” Ryuuji risks a glance at Jin, hoping he doesn't find the nickname offensive or disturbing.

Jin is smiling, though, sitting back and keeping his hand as still as possible. “This Monster will trust his doctor, because he would really like to avoid anything similar to this in the future.”

“This Frankenstein agrees. He doesn't like seeing his Monster hurt.” Ryuuji pauses, blushing harder. He shouldn't have said that last part. For multiple reasons, but especially because Jin isn't _his_. He brought Jin back for everyone—brought Jin back for _Jin's_ sake. The fact that Ryuuji missed him, well... that was just an extra bonus.

Jin's eyes open, and he studies Ryuuji with frank speculation.

Neither of them say anything for the rest of the ride in. Ryuuji suspects it's because they both already have too much that they're trying to process.

* * *

Ryuuji likes him.

_Of course he does._ Jin berates himself. _You don't spend years bringing someone back from the dead because you hate them._

Except... he's starting to think more and more that Ryuuji might _romantically_ like him.

It's hard to tell. Their lives haven't been particularly _normal_ for about two decades, after all, and they're _certainly_ not normal when one is a mad scientist and one is the mad scientist's creation who is _also_ a pretty mad scientist in his own right.

Perhaps it's all just Jin reading into things—giving in to impulses that he hasn't had to deal with in those two decades, a fully functional human body having its own reactions to people that Jin finds... cute. Handsome. Sweet.

Entertaining, kind, funny, and he's getting _really_ attached to Ryuuji.

An attachment that isn't dampened by Ryuuji deciding that they're going to acclimate Jin carefully and fully to his new body, and Ryuuji is going to be the one doing the majority of the acclimatizing.

Sometimes this is sweet.

“Tell me when you feel this, Jin, and _what_ you feel.”

Jin keeps his eyes closed. There is a black curtain separating himself from the fingertips that Ryuuji is toying with, after all; sight will only complicate what is supposed to be an exercise in tactile response.

Something brushes gently against his fingers. A feather? A piece of fur? After a few more brushes, Jin is certain. “Feather against my ring finger.”

“Very good.” From the way Ryuuji speaks, you'd think Jin just solved one of Hilbert's impossible problems.

Something pricks against his finger, and after a second's delay Jin jerks his hand back. “Hey! Careful with that! I thought we were trying to _stop_ me getting hurt.”

“We are. Which partly includes figuring out where things are getting jumbled.” Ryuuji's voice is speculative. “Like you said, it seems you _feel_ just fine, there's just a little bit of a time lag between the feeling and the action.”

Something else rests against his fingers—something warm, and firm, and after a few seconds Jin draws in a sharp breath. “No fair using your own fingers, Ryuuji.”

“Why not?” There's more of a teasing note to Ryuuji's voice than Jin had expected—a teasing note that Jin finds he _likes_. It disappears in the next sentence, leaving Jin oddly disappointed. “We want to get a solid idea of all your sensory and response limitations, after all. This isn't supposed to be a one-time-use technology, yeah?”

“Right.” Jin snags Ryuuji's fingers when he goes to pull away. “We're going to change the world together, you and I. The scientist and his monster.”

“Did you know...” Ryuuji's voice falters just a little bit. “In the original novel, the monster is just as intelligent as Frankenstein? If the two of them had worked together...”

“Don't worry. I fully intend to work with you on this.” Jin gives Ryuuji's fingers a little squeeze. “As well as on many, many other projects.”

Some of which he intends to start at home, and Jin finds it hard to sit back and relax into the testing again, his mind distracted from what's happening right in front of him by what _might_ happen later, but he manages.

Science is something both of them find very important, after all, and he wants Ryuuji to be in a good mood this evening.

It's much more fun teasing someone when they're in a good mood.

* * *

“Ryuuji...”

Ryuuji looks up from the book he was reading. Well, it's probably being charitable to say he was reading it. Falling asleep on top of it is probably a more accurate descriptor. “Yeah, Jin?”

“I hate to ask this...” Jin's eyes drop to the floor. “But I'm tired after today, and my hand's still a little jacked up, so I was wondering... could you help me in the bath?”

“Oh, uh...” Ryuuji can feel his heart-rate double in a few seconds, but he hopefully keeps his face from showing the change. Jin is just asking for nursing assistance—the type of thing that anyone could do, and that Ryuuji's _happy_ to do for his friend. “Sure.”

“Thanks.” Jin grins, and it's amazing how similar the grin looks to his old one.

Ryuuji takes his shirt off while he's drawing up the bath. Normally his own baths are on the cool side—no need to risk any problems that he doesn't have to—but he tries to find a reasonable temperature for Jin. Not everyone has to suffer for Ryuuji's quirks.

Jin strips down with a surprising amount of dexterity, using only his good hand. When Ryuuji says the bath is good, he settles down into it with a sigh, holding his splinted hand out of the water. “Thanks.”

“No problem.” Ryuuji smiles, glancing at Jin and then away. “Anything else I can do to help?”

“If you're serious about that, why don't you join me and scrub my back?” Jin scoots forward in the bath, smiling devilishly up at Ryuuji.

“Ah, I don't think—the bath's not really meant for more than one person.” It's a small one, for the one-bedroom apartment—designed for college students and single businessmen and lone mad scientists who don't have a castle to work in, rather than for families where parents and children or lovers might want to bathe together.

“We're scientists. We understand the theory of displacement. We could make it work.” Jin _grins_ at him, and Ryuuji could swear... except that's probably just wishful thinking. Jin is just teasing him, as he likes to do, albeit in a different way.

“Here. If you need help with your back, scoot forward.” Reaching across the tub, Ryuuji grabs one of the sponges and lathers it with soap.

Washing Jin's back is surprisingly soothing. He can feel Jin's muscles relax at his touch, watch the suds slide across skin that is just a shade darker in color than Jin's original body. He can hear Jin's breathing relax, and by the time he's scooping water up to wash the lather away, Ryuuji is almost regretting that he _doesn't_ have a larger bath.

“Thanks.” Jin turns to study Ryuuji, the water lapping against his chest as he does.

Ryuuji didn't pick a body that he found aesthetically pleasing. There were many, many more important criteria to get through—health, age, willingness of the family members. _Jin's_ comfort with the body had been the last criteria, and thus Ryuuji had been very pleased to find one that looks so close to correct.

Since Ryuuji had found Jin's original body attractive—not distractingly so, but enough that he had thought, sometimes, of what might be after they won the war—Ryuuji supposes he shouldn't be surprised that he finds the new body attractive, as well.

Turning away from Jin, Ryuuji tries to school his facial features into impassivity. This isn't something either he or Jin need to deal with right now.

A wet hand connects with his back, and Ryuuji turns to see Jin half out of the tub, leaning towards him. “Hey, Ryuuji, I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable.”

Ryuuji waves a hand. “No, no. It's fine. Asking for help is fine.”

Jin looks a little guilty. “I know. And I'll keep doing it, when I need it. But I also... maybe had an ulterior motive.”

“Oh?” Ryuuji runs his tongue over his lips. Is he dreaming? Is he still sitting in his chair with his novel?

“If I've been reading things wrong, I blame it entirely on this weird artificial brain I am inhabiting, as well as on my continued semi-successful adaptation to this body. If I can't get sensation right enough not to break my hand or otherwise injure myself, I probably shouldn't be trusting myself to pick up on unspoken communication cues.” Jin draws in a deep breath. “But it's seemed to me, a few times over the last few days, that maybe... you were thinking...”

He's not thinking. He's tired and he's _happy_ and he's hopeful and he's not thinking at all as he leans forward and presses his lips against Jin's. The kiss starts out awkward, uncertain—Ryuuji has very little experience with kissing.

Then Jin takes over, and it becomes something else. Ryuuji's pretty certain Jin doesn't have all _that_ much experience with kissing, either—he certainly hasn't had any since Messiah was born—but apparently what he has is enough to make the difference. His hands bury themselves in Ryuuji's hair, one damp, sticking and pulling on the strands, one made bulky by the splint that is keeping Jin's finger from dislocating again. He tilts his head, changing the angle of the kiss, and his tongue runs gently over Ryuuji's lips, deepening the kiss.

Ryuuji is the one who breaks off the kiss, needing to breathe—needing to feel a little less like he's falling, like he's losing control. He isn't overheating. He _knows_ that he isn't overheating—that the steam and the unexpected emotion isn't enough to cause him to lose control—but the sensations aroused by Jin kissing him are close enough to it for him to need a break.

“Ryuuji?” Jin pulls back, only his dry hand staying in Ryuuji's hair. “Are you all right? Was that all right? If we need to, we can definitely pretend that didn't happen, that it was a short-circuit caused by water interfering with—”

“That was nice.” Ryuuji reaches up to place two fingers against Jin's mouth, stopping the flow of words. “And definitely something I enjoyed. I just... needed to breathe.”

“Breathing's important.” Jin smiles against Ryuuji's fingers, and there is definitely relief in both tone and expression. “I'd like us both to continue doing it.”

“I'm pretty sure we will.” The words come out quieter and more serious than Ryuuji had intended, because in another universe they might very well be false. Jin could still be dead; _Ryuuji_ could so easily have died in the battles against Messiah or Enter. But he didn't, and because he didn't Jin is sitting here, and in proper contrary nature that miracle is enough to stop his breath in his throat. “For a long, long time.”

“Possibly forever, Mr. Frankenstein.” Jin leans in to press a gentler, almost chaste kiss to the corner of Ryuuji's mouth. “When the world won't give you what you need, you just have to change the world, huh?”

“That's what science does, in the right hands.” Ryuuji leans his forehead against Jin's. “That's why I was so happy to finally be able to go into science—to start doing _research_. Not just so we could get you back, though I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to.” Ryuuji runs his hand through Jin's damp hair. “But because it's... it's such a good feeling to solve a problem and know it'll make a difference. That it'll help solve _other_ problems, that people can keep building on it, that... it's more than just winning one battle in a war that no one else can fight.”

“I'm sorry that you had to grow up like that. Knowing you would be a soldier because no one else could take your place.” The fingers of Jin's good hand slide down Ryuuji's cheek, gentle, questing. “It wasn't what any of us wanted.”

“None of you wanted to die, either. Sometimes things happen that we can't control.” Ryuuji tilts his head, kissing the tip of Jin's nose. “But sometimes... sometimes we _do_ get some control. We get to _win_. Even over things like death.”

“Careful how loud you say that.” Jin leans back, though he keeps the splinted hand on Ryuuji's head. “We don't want the lords of entropy to sense a moment of weakness and attack.”

“Heh.” Ryuuji grins as he leans back and studies Jin, feeling a tug in his hair as Jin's hand stays on his head.

Jin leans forward, maintaining their connection. “So. We'll see where things go from here?”

Ryuuji nods. “I think that's fair. We'll keep working on you, we'll see what else we can do with the research, and we'll... let the personal thing go where it will.”

“I like the sounds of that. Though if you don't mind...” Jin sighs. “I think my splint's stuck in your hair. Want to lean forward and bend down so I can try to get it out?”

Ryuuji resists the urge to shake his head, instead doing as Jin asked and staying still for a few minutes as Jin slowly disentangles his splint. The view's pretty nice, anyway.

When Jin is free, Ryuuji helps him out of the tub, taking pleasure in drying him off.

Then they spend the rest of the evening reading together. Or perhaps Jin gets some reading done—Ryuuji falls asleep again about five minutes after sitting down, but his dreams this time seem much more pleasant.

* * *

It takes time.

Jin should be used to that. He's been in hurry-up-and-wait careers all his life. That's what most of science _is_ , after all. Hurry up and read all the material you can so you can generate a viable experiment or model; wait impatiently while peer reviewers poke holes real and imagined and imagined-into-reality in all that careful work. Hurry up and spend all the funding you have to get the desperately-needed material or prototype; wait despairingly while the grants and pleas for just a _bit_ more trickle their way through to people who can actually do something about it.

Wait for fifteen years trapped in subspace, kept alive by a process that's eventually going to kill you; hurry up and defeat the monsters in a matter of months, the children you couldn't save standing as grown warriors at your side.

Now it's a matter of waiting for mind and matter to reform connections that had, decades ago, been second nature. It's a matter of trying _not_ to hurry through the therapies that are recommended, because in this like in so many other annoying things doing something _quickly_ isn't the same as doing something _well_.

It's hurrying through all the tests to reassure those controlling his fate that he really is human, and then waiting for weeks as they twiddle their thumbs about whether or not he's going to be allowed to start doing actual useful research again.

Ryuuji makes the wait easier.

They all make the wait easier, really. Hiromu is grounded, kind when he thinks he can afford to be and unerringly fierce when he knows he needs to be, a combination Jin finds he appreciates. Yoko is becoming a beautiful young woman, and watching her grow up—watching her take up the mantle of _college student_ with the same ease she donned the title of _soldier—_ occupies a fair amount of both Jin and Ryuuji's time.

J is his usual obnoxious self, but that's exactly the way Jin programmed him, and he wouldn't have it any other way.

But Ryuuji... Ryuuji is something different.

Ryuuji is the one he's living with. Jin thinks that would have given them a different relationship even if they hadn't decided to try the romantic angle. Ryuuji is the one who gets to see him fail standard human tasks most often. Ryuuji is the one who has to help him pick up the pieces when his pressure sensitivity is off and he smashes a cup into tiny glistening fragments of stabbing pain.

Ryuuji is the one who kisses him soundly, sometimes almost desperately.

Ryuuji is the one who he can talk to the most easily about his ideas for projects, understands Jin's hypotheses on what they can do with the technology that's really still in its infancy.

Ryuuji whispers that he loves Jin, that he _needs_ Jin as they fit their bodies together far too late at night, and it sends a thrill that seems equal parts joy and fear through Jin's whole being.

And Ryuuji is the one who finally brings Jin his answer.

The envelope is plain, a simple white rectangle with Jin's name printed impeccably on the front. Ryuuji holds it out to Jin without a word.

Jin runs his fingers over the sealed top. “You haven't looked?”

Ryuuji shakes his head. “I figured we could find out the news together and then decide how angry we need to be.”

“And if the answer is very angry?” Jin swallows hard, still tracing the seal with his fingertips.

“Well, mad scientists are supposed to live in castles, anyway, aren't they?” Ryuuji's smile is a gentle promise.

Ripping the envelope open, Jin quickly scans down the single page inside. _Given the situation... after much consideration... past service to humanity... provided certain fail-safes are followed..._

A whoop of joy escapes from Jin's throat, and he wraps his arms around Ryuuji, spinning the other man around.

Ryuuji grins. “I take it there's good news?”

“Pretty good.” Jin grins at Ryuuji in return. “Provided someone working with me swears to hit the kill-switch the instant it seems I'm attempted to figure out how to take over the world, I'm going to be granted funding and a lab in which to pursue my own research.”

Ryuuji's smile falters at the mention of the kill-switch. “I never should have agreed to include that.”

“Yes, you should have. The last thing I want is to accidentally end up responsible for the destruction of the world.” Jin pats Ryuuji on the back. “But let's not talk about that part—let's talk about the _exciting_ part.”

Ryuuji's smile returns. “Ready to go save the world, Monster?”

“Only if you are, Frankenstein.” Pressing a kiss to Ryuuji's cheek, Jin pulls the other man into a tight hug.

It's the end of another stage in their lives. The end of the recovery process, perhaps—the end of uncertainty and grief.

But it's more than that. They have had endings before. The shunting of the Research Center into subspace had been an ending. The defeat of Messiah had been an ending. The defeat of Enter had been an ending.

Jin's death had been an ending.

Every time things have ended, though, there's been a new beginning. A new task, a new threat, a new chance, a new _life_ , and Jin is going to enjoy this one as thoroughly as he can.

He's not sure if it's him or Ryuuji who turns the cheek-kiss into a full-lip one, their bodies melding together. He can _feel_ it, though, a tingling in his fingers, warmth in his chest, the pressure of Ryuuji's arms where Ryuuji is holding him, and his body responds appropriately.

Breaking off the kiss, Jin tilts his head in the direction of the lab. “Shall we?”

Ryuuji takes a step back, and the smile on his face would be answer enough. “Always and anytime.”

Sometimes it's good to be a mad scientist, Jin thinks as he begins laying out his plans for how to create more human androids that could handle the interface with Ryuuji's artificial brain.

It's definitely even better to love one.

 


End file.
